April 16, 2026

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who started on the bench in the last two games with left-handers on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, is back at first base and is hitting fifth for Thursday's series finale against the Halos and left-hander Brent Suter at Yankee Stadium, per MLB.com. Manager Aaron Boone said during spring training that Rice would see more starts against left-handed pitchers in 2026, so it was disappointing for fantasy managers to see him on the bench for the first couple of games of the series. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger is hitting a cool .333 (17-for-51) with four home runs, 13 RBI, one stolen base, and 15 runs scored in his first 17 games this year after slashing .255/.337/.499 with an .836 OPS, 26 homers, and 65 RBI in 138 games in 2025 in his first full season in the majors. Rice has work to do against southpaws, as he's hit just .194 (30-for-155) against them with a .673 OPS and eight of his 37 career home runs.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

April 16, 2026

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos is not in the team's starting lineup on Thursday in the series finale on the road against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark, according to MLB.com. It's the second straight game that Will Brennan, who bats left-handed, will get the start over Ramos. Brennan is starting in left field and is hitting sixth against Reds right-hander Chase Burns. The 28-year-old Brennan could start to see more playing time if he handles himself well at the plate and Ramos continues to struggle. In Brennan's first four years in the big leagues with the Cleveland Guardians, he hit .267/.307/.373 with a .680 OPS, 14 home runs, 79 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and 84 runs scored in 866 plate appearances across 269 games played. Ramos is currently striking out over 35% of the time in his first 66 plate appearances in 2026 and has a .234 average (15-for-64) with no homers, seven RBI, two walks, and 24 strikeouts in 17 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

April 16, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals at PNC Park, according to MLB.com. Billy Cook is making the start in left field for the Bucs and will bat ninth against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin. It appears to be a normal rest day for Reynolds, a switch-hitter who typically fares better from the left side against right-handed pitchers. The 31-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star should be back in the starting lineup for the team's series opener on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Reynolds is off to a strong start in 2026, going 19-for-66 (.288) at the plate with three home runs, a double, a triple, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a stolen base in 80 plate appearances over 18 games played. Fantasy managers in daily leagues will want to remove him from their starting lineups on Thursday. Cook will be playing in just his 30th big-league game since debuting in 2024 with Pittsburgh. He has one hit in his four plate appearances so far in 2026 in 10 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

April 16, 2026

Georgia wide receiver Zacharia Branch is expected to receive Day 2 capital in the upcoming NFL Draft, but with one of the more unique prospect profiles in recent history, there are questions about how his game might translate to the next level. At just 5'9" and 177 pounds, over a third of Branch's career receiving yards came on screen plays, while an astonishing 45.5% of his targets came behind the line of scrimmage, which is higher than any player ever selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. While some have pointed to Luther Burden III as evidence that a player with a similar profile can succeed in the NFL, Branch's career ADoT was a full four yards lower than Burden's, and players with similar collegiate usage have had a frighteningly low fantasy hit rate. In the right landing spot, Branch could become a useful gadget player for an NFL offense, but he's unlikely to find any consistently bankable fantasy usage.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu earned his second hold of the season and pitched 1 1/3 innings without giving up a hit or a run. Even though he was effective, it was not a good sign for the 28-year-old's fantasy value that he entered the game in the seventh inning with two outs. He worked a scoreless eighth inning as well but gave the ball to Enyel De Los Santos to close out the game. Abreu hasn't earned a save in any of his last five appearances, giving up five runs on five hits with eight walks and six strikeouts. He seems to have been passed by De Los Santos as the preferred option for save chances, while the team awaits the return of Josh Hader (biceps) later this season. Abreu could work his way back into that role, but for now, he doesn't carry enough fantasy value for a roster spot in standard-sized mixed leagues.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Drew Pomeranz is a very intriguing speculative pickup in deep leagues, since he could be next up for the Angels after Jordan Romano has blown two save chances in New York. Pomeranz has allowed four runs on six hits in eight games this season, but he has only allowed one run in six innings over his last six appearances. He has four holds in those six games, but has not been brought into a save opportunity. Pomeranz retired four in a row before giving the ball to Romano for the ninth inning, and since that went so poorly, the Angels could be forced to shake up the roles for the end of the game in their high-leverage situations even before Kirby Yates (knee) joins the mix later this season.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has been a reliable NFL producer who has made the occasional blip on the fantasy radar, most notably when a handful of high-volume games allowed him to land as the TE13 in 2024. While it's unlikely that many dynasty managers are rostering Otton as their TE1, he's been a fine depth piece to have for the occasional bye week or injury spot start. However, with Tampa picking at number 15 in the upcoming NFL Draft, the team has frequently been linked to Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, an athletic marvel whose presence on the roster could push Otton toward fantasy irrelevancy. Even if the Buccaneers elect to go in another direction on Night 1, this is a deep tight end class with a number of prospects capable of creating at least a messy timeshare. While praising the group he already has in-house, general manager Jason Licht recently told reporters, "It would be great to add a tight end to the roster who brings an element that some of the others don't." Otton is currently RotoBaller's TE30 in dynasty rankings.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard wrapped up his third NHL campaign with a two-assist effort in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. His playmaking ability fueled Chicago's four-goal third period, which turned a 2-1 deficit into a comfortable win for the home team. Bedard joined Denis Savard and Eddie Olczyk as the third Blackhawks player to record a 75-point campaign at age 20 or younger. A midseason shoulder injury kept Bedard sidelined for a significant portion of the campaign, but he still finished as Chicago's top scorer, with 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 outings. The top pick of the 2023 draft averaged at least a point per game for the first time in his young career. It should be the first of many, as the 20-year-old has firmly established himself among the NHL's new generation of superstars.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux contributed two assists as the team won this season's final Battle of Ontario 3-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. Giroux picked up a power-play assist when Drake Batherson scored in the first period and had his second helper on Dylan Cozens' empty-net goal late in the third. The veteran forward played a key role in this victory, but he will be frustrated not to have reached 50 points for the season. Giroux fell one point short of the plateau, finishing with 14 goals and 35 assists in 82 contests. A late-season six-game scoring drought proved costly for him. The good news for Giroux is that he found his offensive stride in the closing games of the regular season, giving him momentum heading into the playoffs.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Athletics relief pitcher Joel Kuhnel got a four-out save on Wednesday night, picking up two strikeouts and retiring all four Rangers he faced to secure his third save of the year. The 31-year-old righty has given up just one hit and no runs in 4 2/3 innings this season and is a very solid option at the end of the game for the A's. With such a strong start to the year, he's a great addition from the waiver wire if you are searching for saves, even though there's no apparent reason the journeyman has been so effective after joining the team on a minor-league contract. He has been so effective, though, that he's a great grab for as long as he keeps the closer role for the Athletics.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan finished his first professional season as the fantasy WR15 on his way to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his arrow is realistically still pointing up. While it took him six weeks to score his first NFL touchdown, with only two receiving touchdowns through Week 10, he eventually found a knack for it, scoring five times over his final seven games. McMillan led the Panthers with a 26.3% target share, with an even more impressive 32.4% share of all first-down targets. While he could benefit from an improvement to the quality of targets, it's unlikely that anyone currently on the roster poses a serious threat to eat into his workload in year two. The Panthers have spent their last two first-round picks on the wide receiver position, and even with general manager Dan Morgan recently insinuating a third straight swing would not be out of the question, it seems improbable with several more glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball. McMillan is RotoBaller's WR9 in dynasty rankings, and he could be one of the safest young assets to build around.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Abner Uribe stepped into a ninth-inning role on Wednesday night and pitched a perfect inning to secure his team's 2-1 win over the Blue Jays. Uribe retired the Jays in order with a strikeout to earn his first save of the season, and his velocity was back to where it was last season. Uribe's velocity had been down, and he gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings in his first seven appearances before stepping up on Wednesday. The Brewers have been contemplating a closer change with Uribe and Trevor Megill both struggling, and Uribe delivered in this contest. He could secure the role going forward with more outings like this one, and if he does, he'll be a great closer option in all formats. If he's available in your league, he's a great pickup if you're searching for saves.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

New York Rangers left wing Tye Kartye had his first career three-point game in Wednesday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, contributing two goals and one assist in a 4-2 road win. He scored the first two goals of the game, striking early in the first and second periods. The 24-year-old finished the campaign with a career-high 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 64 games. 14 of his points, including five goals, came in 24 outings since the Rangers claimed him off waivers in late February. Kartye was a good fit for the Rangers and remains under contract for one more campaign after agreeing to a two-year, $2.5 million deal with the Seattle Kraken last offseason.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

After finishing as the TE5 or better in three of four seasons from 2020 through 2023, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has seen a steep decline in production, with his 5.8 fantasy points per game in 2025 the lowest output since his rookie season. Perhaps reassuringly, all of Minnesota's pass catchers shared a similar story in 2025, hampered by some of the worst quarterback play in the league, with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer combining to throw only 17 touchdown passes on fewer than 3,200 yards. The Vikings have since signed Kyler Murray to a one-year deal, and his past affinity for involving his tight ends has contributed to four combined top-10 seasons from Zach Ertz and Trey McBride. The soon-to-be-29-year-old Hockenson avoided an influx of target competition when Minnesota opted to stand pat at the position in free agency. If he can survive what looks to be a deep tight end draft class, a later career resurgence isn't out of the question with him still slated to be a primary target-earner behind only Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power recorded two assists in Wednesday's regular-season ending 4-3 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars. With Rasmus Dahlin (rest) and Mattias Samuelsson (rest) sitting out the game, Power had more responsibilities on the blue line and helped Buffalo score two even-strength goals. Unfortunately for Power, this wasn't enough for him to reach 30 points for a fourth consecutive season. The 2021 first-overall pick ended the campaign with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists), 120 SOG, 95 blocks, and a plus-nine rating in 81 outings. Power hasn't met his usual standards in 2025-26, but he will enter the playoffs with some momentum, having posted assists in back-to-back games. --Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Jordan Romano let another game slip away in New York on Wednesday night. He came on in the ninth inning with a one-run lead and gave up two runs on two hits and a walk, while recording just one out. Romano gave up a walk-off double to Jose Caballero, taking his second blown save of the three-game series against the Yankees. Before the double, though, Romano's defense let him down when a routine pop-up dropped between Zach Neto and Oswald Peraza to start the meltdown. The 32-year-old had been perfect in four save opportunities before this series, and it will be interesting to see if he gets another chance or if the team goes another direction. Kirby Yates (knee) is nearing a return and could be part of the solution if Romano continues to struggle.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

After arriving on the scene as the QB5 in his first year as a full-time starter in 2023, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has ended back-to-back seasons in the middle of the fantasy pack. While lingering early-season injuries were thought to affect his play in 2024, he remained relatively healthy until an end-of-season concussion in 2025, finishing respectively as the QB17 and QB15 with strikingly similar numbers across both years. In 2025, his path to the middle was relatively straight. He finished four different weeks as a top-10 fantasy quarterback, tying for 15th in that regard and providing a mostly healthy floor by keeping the ball out of harm's way. He was one of 11 players with two finishes as the QB2 or better, but he also finished with fewer than 10 fantasy points at a rate slightly higher than the top-24 players at the position. With Green Bay saying goodbye to two of its leading receivers from 2025 and expecting a return to health from Josh Jacobs, the team will likely skew run-heavy enough to again cap Love's fantasy ceiling. Tucker Kraft should also be back and healthy early in the season, and the team is expecting significant growth from last year's first round pick, Matthew Golden, so there are legitimate reasons to believe the 27-year-old Love could return to his 2023 form, but the safer presumption is that he's closer to what he's shown over the past two seasons: a strong QB2 in superflex leagues who is just as likely to win you a week as he is to cost you.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

April 16, 2026

Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell registered one goal and one assist as the team wrapped up the regular season with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Lindell assisted Mavrick Bourque during even-strength play in the first period and potted a power-play goal in the second. This was LIndell's second multi-point effort in four games. With Miro Heiskanen (lower body) absent from the blue line, Lindell has seen increased power-play time late in the season. Heiskanen is iffy for the start of the postseason, so Lindell could continue to have an expanded role for a few more games. He finished the regular season with a career-high-matching 32 points (six goals, 26 assists), 83 shots, 179 blocks, and a team-best plus-30 rating in 82 games.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Houston Astros relief pitcher Enyel De Los Santos worked a perfect ninth in his team's 3-1 win on Wednesday night. He picked up a pair of strikeouts against pinch-hitter Brett Sullivan and Brenton Doyle to preserve the win for Spencer Arrighetti. De Los Santos earned his second save of the season and has allowed only one run on four hits across 6 2/3 innings with six strikeouts. Josh Hader (biceps) is working his way back, but since he is likely at least a month away, De Los Santos will likely remain in the mix for a few saves along with. Bryan Abreu over the next few weeks. In deep or AL-only leagues, De Los Santos is definitely worth owning if you're searching for saves, although his long-term outlook is in more of a setup role.--Zach Thompson
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith factored in three goals during Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, lighting the lamp twice and delivering one assist. He helped out Shea Theodore on the game-tying marker and notched a pair of goals himself late in the game. Smith recently had a three-game stint as a healthy scratch, and it appears to have helped him regain form ahead of the postseason. Over the last two games, Smith has recorded three goals and one assist. He finished the regular season with 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 69 games, his lowest scoring total in five years. It's been a disappointing year for Smith, but he will have a chance to post his first three-game goal streak since December 2022 in Vegas' playoff opener.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright (upper body) scored the team's only goal in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He gave Seattle a lead early in the second period, but the Golden Knights eventually picked the visitors apart. Wright had missed the previous eight games due to an upper-body injury. The 22-year-old has one more matchup to go in 2025-26, facing Colorado on Thursday night. Wright has tallied 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 73 outings. This marks a significant step back for him after collecting 44 points a year ago. Heading into the final year of his entry-level contract, Wright should have plenty of motivation to turn things around next season.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Los Angeles Clippers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin was the team's leading scorer with 23 points in Wednesday's season-ending 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The former Pacer was red-hot from downtown, going 5-for-6, and had a 7-for-11 overall record from the field. Mathruin made all four free-throw attempts, adding three rebounds, two assists, and three steals to his line in 30 minutes off the bench. After he was traded by Indiana midseason, Mathurin went from a regular starter to a bench contributor. But he had some outstanding performances in his new role, showing that it might suit him going forward. Overall, Mathurin's numbers didn't change much in L.A. compared to his time with the Pacers, as he posted averages of 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26 games. With Kawhi Leonard's future up in the air, Mathurin might have a bigger role next season with the Clippers, which would boost his fantasy value.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Golden State Warriors forward/center Kristaps Porzingis made a big impact in Wednesday's 126-121 Play-In Tournament win over the Los Angeles Clippers, tallying 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in 28 minutes. He missed only four of his 12 attempts from the field and was 3-for-6 with the three-ball. Porzingis had a tough time in his final four regular-season outings, going 1-for-15 from behind the arc. His improvement in Wednesday's matchup will be encouraging for the Warriors ahead of Friday's play-in game against Phoenix and a potential playoff run.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry starred in Wednesday's 126-121 Play-In Tournament victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, leading all scorers with 35 points. He had eight points inside the final eight minutes of play, helping Golden State overturn a 103-99 deficit. Curry's seventh triple of the game put the Warriors 120-117 up with less than a minute remaining. Curry went 7-for-12 from outside and had a 12-for-23 overall record from the field. He produced four assists, and picked up one rebound and one steal. Curry's crew will now square off with the Phoenix Suns on Friday night for a spot in the 2026 playoffs. During the regular season, the two-time MVP averaged 23.7 points in this matchup, as Phoenix limited him to 34.4 percent efficiency from behind the arc.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Orlando Magic guard/forward Desmond Bane led the team's offense in Wednesday's Play-In Tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring a game-high 34 points in a 109-97 loss. He already had 19 points by halftime, more than Paolo Banchero (18) managed in the entire game. Bane was highly efficient from the field, finishing 10-for-16 with his attempts, including 4-for-6 from downtown. He also did an excellent job getting to the line, missing only one of 11 free-throw attempts. Across a team-high 40 minutes, Bane notched three rebounds, three assists, and one steal, but also committed five turnovers. The Magic now face Charlotte in a do-or-die matchup on Friday night. Bane averaged 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists against the Hornets in four regular-season meetings.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey scored a team-high 31 points in Wednesday's playoff-clinching 109-97 victory over the Orlando Magic. Maxey averaged a career-high 28.3 points per game during the regular season and had plenty of firepower left for the first postseason game. He made three triples on nine attempts and finished 11-for-25 overall from the field. Maxey's efforts included two rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block in 42 minutes. With Joel Embiid (abdomen) dealing with yet another health issue, Maxey will once again carry a heavy workload during the postseason. He averaged a whopping 44.6 minutes per game the last time Philadelphia reached the playoffs in 2024.--Taavi Pailk
Source: ESPN

April 16, 2026

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $60,000 for his actions involving Tuesday's play-in game against the Miami Heat, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reports. Ball was fined $35,000 "for making unnecessary and reckless contact" with Miami's Bam Adebayo. The Hornets star was not called for a foul during the game, but he was assessed a flagrant foul 2 after the league reviewed the incident, which forced Adebayo to leave the game early with a lower back injury. Additionally, the NBA fined Ball $25,000 for using profane language in a TV interview after the game. Charlotte will be happy to know that Ball was only fined for the Adebayo incident and didn't receive a suspension. The team will hope to see him lead the Hornets into the playoffs for the first time since 2016 with a victory over Orlando on Friday.--Taavi Pailk
Source: Ohm Youngmisuk

April 15, 2026

Across his first 77 plate appearances of 2026, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is hitting .234/.351/.406 with three home runs, six RBI, and nine runs scored. Fresh off a 45-homer season as a 21-year-old in 2025, Caminero hasn't been quite as dynamic early on this year. Still, Caminero's 19.5% strikeout rate is right in line with the 19.1% mark he posted last season. Opposing pitchers are being extra cautious this year with Caminero, as his 15.6% walk rate is nearly 10 percentage points higher than his 6.3% rate from 2025. Caminero has consistently shown the ability to make hard contact throughout his MLB career to this point, which should help him regain his power stroke over a larger sample size of at-bats. Fantasy managers should be patient with Caminero through the early portion of the season.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

April 15, 2026

Across his first 85 plate appearances of 2026, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting .247/.341/.384 with one home run, five RBI, six runs scored, and four stolen bases. While Acuna Jr. hasn't quite gotten his power stroke going yet, his 16.4% barrel rate suggests that it's only a matter of time before his fly balls start leaving the yard with more regularity. Acuna Jr.'s four stolen bases are also a positive sign for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old recorded just nine steals in 95 games while returning from a torn ACL in 2025, but the early push in 2026 could be a sign he has more confidence in his surgically repaired knee. While Acuna Jr.'s top-line numbers haven't been quite what fantasy managers might have hoped for so far, it's too early to panic.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

April 15, 2026

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Friday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. The return to live game action represents a big step in Cole's recovery from Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. Across 95 innings (17 starts) in 2024, Cole posted an 8-5 record with a 3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts. The 35-year-old should not be expected to be the pitcher he once was at his peak, but Cole still carries clear fantasy upside once healthy. Given the long layoff, Cole will almost certainly need to make multiple rehab starts in the minor leagues. Still, he could be tracking towards an MLB return in May, barring any setbacks.--Will Brady
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch